High-entropy alloys and ceramics as a new class of materials containing five or more elements are attracting increasing interest due to their unique structure and potential applications. In this work, we investigate the feasibility of the combustion synthesis of high-entropy alloys and ceramics in the Ta-Nb-Hf-Zr-W-Mg and Ta-Nb-Hf-Zr-W-Cl-Mg-N systems from chloride precursors. To this end, we analyzed the stability of metallic, chloride, nitride and hydride phases in the 0-2000°C temperature interval by varying the chemical potentials of the gaseous elements (chlorine and nitrogen). Two synthesis methods were developed: combustion of powder mixtures of transition metal chlorides with the reducing agent (Mg 3 N 2 ), and combustion of gel mixtures. Combustion of the powder mixtures produced highly porous sinter cakes consisting of needle-like nanoparticles of high-entropy Ta + Nb + Hf + Zr + W alloy in the matrix of magnesium oxychloride. Combustion of the gels yielded spherical nanopowders with uniform composition and particle size. However, high reactivity of the synthesized powders led to their rapid oxidation due to the abundance of oxygen in the gel-forming agent (C 2 H 5 OH).